Attorney License Information

The Board's Registration Department is responsible for managing all matters regarding a Tennessee attorney's law license with the exception of continuing legal education (CLE) matters and admission to practice law in Tennessee. All inquiries regarding CLE matters should be referred to the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. All inquiries regarding admission to the bar of Tennessee should be referred to the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. All other attorney license inquiries can be directed to the Board's Registration Department at registration@tbpr.org. Please scroll down for additional information regarding Tennessee attorney law license status, renewal and registration.

Reinstatement of Law License

Active Status

Attorneys on active status are required by Rule 9, Sections 10.1 and 10.2 to pay an annual fee to the Board; file an annual registration statement with the Board; and to notify the Board of any changes in residence or office addresses within 30 days of any changes. The annual fee and the annual registration statement are due on the 1st day of the attorney's birth month.

Inactive Status

The Supreme Court of Tennessee amended Rule 9, Sections 10.3 and 10.8 to include new classifications for inactive status and imposing an annual inactive fee effective January 1, 2012.

The following attorneys are exempt from the application of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9:

(a) Attorneys who serve as a justice, judge, or magistrate of a court of the United Statesor currently serve in a federal office and are prohibited by federal law from also engaging in the practice of law;

If your Tennessee law license is currently active and you qualify as exempt to request inactive status, please review Sections (a) through (e) above and click on the appropriate link in order to complete and submit to the Board the Affidavit and Application for Inactive Status (the Affidavit must be a notarized original).

The appropriate Affidavit and Application must be received by the Board prior to the first day of your birth month for the fee exemptions or the reduced fee to apply for the current year.

Beginning in 2012, all attorneys on inactive status must file an annual registration statement with the Board and pay an $85.00 annual inactive status fee due on the 1st day of the attorney's birth month.

Change Of Address

Every attorney admitted to practice in Tennessee is required to notify the Board of any changes of residence or office addresses within 30 days of the changes. See Rule 9, Section 10.1.

To file changes of address with the Board, log into the Attorney Portal and update your information online. You may also mail, fax, or otherwise deliver a signed notice of address change indicating your prior and new residence or office addresses and the effective date of the change.

Letters of Good Standing and/or Disciplinary History Reports

The Board of Professional Responsibility will provide Letters of Good Standing, Disciplinary History Reports, and certain other information to attorneys as requested. The Board cannot, however, provide a Certificate of Good Standing. Certificates of Good Standing are issued by the Supreme Court of Tennessee and can be requested by contacting the Appellate Court Clerk's Office.

A Tennessee-licensed attorney may request a Letter of Good Standing and/or a Disciplinary History Report through the Board's Attorney Portal on this website. Once logged in, click on the SERVICES tab; then select LETTER OF GOOD STANDING to navigate to a page showing the following list:

Request a Letter of Good Standing

Request a Disciplinary History Report

Request a Letter of Good Standing AND a Disciplinary History Report

Select one of the options and submit your request. An invoice will be added to your cart for the service request. Navigate to your Cart to make your payment ($25.00). Upon receipt of your payment, your request will automatically be sent to the Board's Registration Department. Please allow three to five business days for our staff to process your request. We will follow-up by email to confirm details of your request.

Professional Privilege Tax Obligations

As professionals, attorneys are subject to the Professional Privilege Tax as required by Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-4-1702. For more information about the Professional Privilege Tax, please visit the Tennessee Department of Revenue's Frequently Asked Questions page.

Attorneys who have been notified by the Board of Professional Responsibility, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 26, that they were out of compliance are required to submit an affidavit establishing compliance with the Professional Privilege Tax obligations. A sample affidavit is available for download.

Answer: Yes, the Board sends each attorney courtesy email reminders and the annual Registration Statement and Invoice six (6) weeks prior to the date the fee is owed. The Board also sends courtesy email reminders to attorneys of the Tennessee Department of Revenue's Professional Privilege tax.

Mission Statement

To assist the Court in protecting the public from harm from unethical lawyers by administering the disciplinary process;
to assist the public by providing information about the judicial system and the disciplinary system for lawyers; and,
to assist lawyers by interpreting and applying the Court's disciplinary rules.